Cultural and Social Dynamics of Moroccan People

The true foundation of moral social value is in social dynamics. The four dynamics: cultural, social, economic and psychological are interdependent and interact with each other. Contrary to the Western capitalist societies that prioritize the economic dynamics, the social dynamics is a priority in Arab societies. Social value is the prime factor in Arab societies. In this chapter, we concentrate on the socio-cultural dynamics.

Moroccan identity is shaped over a long historical period. There is a simple historical logic and rules that enable us to understand Moroccan civilization. This process of the establishment of Moroccan identity and the establishment of its cultural dynamics are the fruit of a long period of cultural mixing. It began from a historical phase that begins with the beginning of the maritime trade, then the colonization of the Romans, then the colonization and the establishment of the Vandals, then the strokes of the invasion of the skeletons of maritime Greece, visiting the Greeks and then the spread of the Arab Islamic conquest and its messages. It also continued with the footprints of the expansion of the central African peoples and the formation of the stable wave which is drying up the submerged populations of Berber; and then it returned with the establishment of the Berber Islamic kingdoms, and after that with the establishment of the Islamic conquest waves, after Islam is stability of the Moroccan identity as an Arabic Islamic state. This stability today involves the Moroccans’ affiliation with the Arabic language and culture which enable them to get on the same cultural boat, and the Islamic religion and Moroccan customs which are the Moroccan specificity; but it is not on the self and the language only but it is the soul purity of the Moroccan people and the justifying philosophical principles that reinforce the Moroccan psychological vision.

2. Historical Background

Morocco has a rich historical past that has had significant social, cultural, and economic repercussions on the present-day country. First inhabited by Berbers over 4,500 years ago, Morocco has been invaded multiple times by African, Arab, and European powers, who have each left their mark. From 1907 until 1957, Morocco was controlled by France and Spain, which shaped both its current borders and its troubled relationship with the European Union. Following its independence, the political upheaval of the 1960s and 1970s, led by leftist and Islamist factions, and the violent repression of protest by King Hassan II gave way in the 1980s and 1990s to a gradual opening up of Islam and a national dialogue about identity and democracy. Following the 1999 death of Hassan II, his son and successor, King Mohamed VI, implemented a more modern agenda, bringing about economic reforms, religious freedom, and government accountability—in theory, at least. A key test to his strategy came in 2003, when the Casablanca bombings, carried out by a cell of Islamic radicals linked to foreign jihadist movements, triggered fears of renewed political unrest and instability in the country.

The transition of Morocco from the Middle Ages to Modern Times can be divided into two fundamental stages. The first stage is the historic establishment of the Maghribian Kingdoms that provide the basis for modern Morocco after the Arab conquest in the 6th century. The second stage is the European intrusion signaled by the establishment of protectorates in 1912 and the impact of World War II. Society at this time is dominated by the sultans who claim religious and temporal power, and the nobles, merchants, and tribes. The latter have a certain autonomy until the protectorate makes an untenable attempt to centralize. Modernization programs become socialist even as they appeal to nationalist sentiment.

3. Ethnic Composition

North Africa has had an unusual history. Following the beginnings of human culture – as defined by the production of stone tools – at Oldowayan sites in East Africa, the first modern humans entered Africa from the north. They subsequently settled the eastern African coasts. There were population expansions out of Africa, but they did not reach North Africa until 50,000 years ago, and even then, they were limited in scope. By about 10,000 years ago, North Africa was repopulated from Europe.

The ethnic composition of Morocco and of North Africa in general has puzzled historians and anthropologists for generations. The modern Moroccan genotype is predominantly Berber, with some Semitic and sub-Saharan admixtures. From the earliest times, the Berber population, already mixed with Old Stone Age peoples, was penetrated by various waves of Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans from the north. Semitic ancestry was largely introduced during the Arab conquests, and Tan-Tan, south of Agadir, holds the dubious distinction of being the first area to desert in the 12th century as the area became Arabized. Sub-Saharans were strongly present in the ancient kingdom of Ghana, and there was a major admixture with the late Muslim slave trade.

Amazigh poses a graphic problem because they have long been associated with the broadly Caucasian race. However, the natives of North Africa are genetically closer to the peoples of West Africa than to Arabs or Europeans. A genetic study established that the Berbers, particularly the Amazigh of Morocco, were closest genetically to the native Africans of Egypt, and more distantly to the natives of the Arabian Peninsula.

3.1. Berber Identity

The Berber ethnic group—the indigenous and native population of North Africa—was in existence long before the foundation of the new Moroccan State in 1956. Unfortunately, the name “Berber” is a Roman appellation meaning “barbarian.” Nowadays, some Moroccan Maghreb people still resent this name and prefer to call themselves by other Berber designations that are unrelated to the Western extortion; for example, “Tamazight” or “Tamaziɣt,” are used in most Arabic literature, “Berrache,” in Algerian literature, and “Amazigh” in Libyan and Egyptian literature. The term “Amazigh” has been reasserted recently in the Moroccan Constitution as the term denoting the first source of Moroccan identity. The term “Amazigh” means “the Free Man.” The subdomains of Amazigh in Morocco, i.e., the group idioms or accents, are Tamazight (Tashlḥit) Berber language and the Zayan Berber language.

The main and original Berber collective consciousness is the effects of the habitation of Berber regions, called the “Imazigh” domains; for example, the Berber territory addresses the whole Mediterranean coasts of the current countries of Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. Berber Islamic civilization, reality, and centuries-old traditions have stamped the personal and collective moral initials of a good number of exhibited Berber scholars. A good number of them have conducted a solid and deep research in Arabic, Hebrew, Berber, and Latin languages.

3.2. Arab Influence

The Berber population has been, and still is, notably influenced by the Arab world. It is said that the Arabs began to arrive in Morocco around the 7th century but the true settlement began in the 13th century, although some destination points were visited previously to trade with the Berbers. Because of the great number of people who died during the plague and also because of the War of the Christians at the end of the 15th century, the need for laborers and other men of work to develop the economy of Morocco became essential. This was the real cause of the greater installation of Arabs, this time from the East who came to occupy a part of Morocco that was lacking population. This phenomenon produced a great mixing of the two ethnic elements, the Berber and the Arab, and also a modification of the original culture. The influence of the settlers on the Moroccans was very great, at this point that Berber ethnic groups that moved towards the fashion of their conquerors were confined to a status of inferiority that had never before existed.

This event naturally implied the resignification of the Berber myth. The Arab interest and the later hegemonic imposition converted Berberness into something similar to a hindrance for the historical development of second and third-class citizens on the one hand, and something similar to an exotic element, a curiosity to take that occupies the Moroccan landscape on the other. Both visions have their traces in the economic-capitalist present development, which will be responsible for the cultural dead end in which many Berbers are already finding themselves, the enveloping, alienating tourism that creates in an unprecedented way the unmixing of Arabs and Berbers as if we were speaking of doings in different nations.

This is a necessary preamble to the understanding of the Berber-Arab relations, especially in moments of tension that have crossed Moroccan history from the arrival of the Arabs with Islam, especially during the Almoravid and Almohad movements. The Arab nexus is also the one that capitalizes most of the conflicts that arise today between berberismo and the state.

3.3. Sub-Saharan Contributions

The Moroccan identity has been enriched by diverse external migrations that have crossed the Sahara Desert and settled on the Moroccan territory. This is evident, particularly, in the southern provinces and cities of the north like Tangiers and Asilah where the flow of Sub-Saharan people was more prominent. Among these migrations, we find those who came from the kingdoms of Songhai and Mali. They are attributed with the foundation of the first dynasties that ruled the Moroccan region in the 12th century. We also recall groups of merchants, scholars, artists, and craftsmen who used the trade routes that crossed the Sahara as a transit point. These scholarly meetings contributed effectively to the creation of a multicultural society. Some of them were attracted by the wealth of southern Morocco, others by the inauguration of models of religious practices and certainties. Thus, the city of Tafilalet and the oases of the Draa became the passage of merchant caravans.

This trade, which was the first to link Europe with the countries south of the Sahara, enabled an exchange of goods, but also ideas and religious beliefs. The local elite became interested in Islamic thought exported by Arab Oscillations. In return, we continued to send impressive quantities of gold into the Arab world. The precious metal, used in various ways in the Maghreb region, was decided by the Mulathanes to form the basis for commercial transactions with merchants from the European north. It is undoubtedly still sublimated in the popular memory of citizens when they cite the origins of the king’s men. Attempts to obtain princes from the Dalal kings will be made later, in the heart of the Renaissance, merchant-brokers who will seek to become intermediaries towards Europe.

4. Language and Dialects

The Arabic language is for classic historic description also referred to as the lingua franca. Arabic is not only the language, the vehicle which transfers culture from one generation to another but is also the base of the identity of the Arab people. Arabic had a significant influence on Morocco dialects and the Colloquial Arabic that is spoken in Morocco is as follows: Arabic Dialect (Derja) which is widely used in the street, Moroccan Berber Dialect (Tarifan) the Berber language, Free French which is used by the high society and by the people during the local festivities in complete harmony with the Moroccan culture. With the above remarks, we note that Morocco Zone is governed by two languages and four dialects which are Arabic, Tamazight (Berber), Classical Arabic, and French.

The first is spoken by 60% of the population known by ethnicists as Moriscos, descendants of the Berbers or Mozabites, who passed to Islam during the conquest of the Arab. The second language is spoken by a 40% known by ethnicists as Berbers, who have maintained and preserved their Libyan origin. The Arabic language is the second official language but privileged in every sense: only it has vigor educational, political, linguistic, commercial, and administrative, etc. Meanwhile, the Berber language usually is handled in private use. As for the Arabic dialect (Derja) and the Tarifan (Moroccan Berber dialect), both languages are used in the street. The French language is for the upper bourgeoisie and some tourists who want to have fun at the hotels which are generally equipped with high luxury.

4.1. Arabic

The Arabic language of Morocco belongs to a single Arab language, called al-lugha al-Arabiyya, which is divided into two types: Classical Arabic (fusha) used for special occasions, for religious matters or literary writings, and dialectal Arabic (darija), the spoken language of the vast majority of Moroccans. The Arabic used in formal occasions is dialectically different from the spoken one, as this is influenced by the different languages of the Moroccan people. The dialectal Arabic of Morocco is more influenced by the Berber languages than others. For this reason, the Moroccan dialect differs from the Arabic dialects of Egypt and of other Arabic countries. The characteristic and specific sounds of Darija make the tourist’s surprise and most of the visitors do not understand it well. The spoken language, internalized since childhood, is the common language between Moroccans of the same region as well as between Moroccans of different regions during their meetings in the capital or in other great cities. It is the means of communication in family meetings, between friends, between schoolchildren and students in and outside schools or universities, between peasants or fishermen. It is also used in plays and theater performances, during comedy sketches, in songs and broadcasts.

Arabic has become a cultural identity and a collective consciousness among the Moroccan people, especially after the linguistic and literary movement and the creation of the Committee of the Arab Language. Today foreign language words may no longer disturb the language of the Moroccan. For example, the word for a pipe in English replaces burdensome periphrasis: a pipe that blows tobacco smoke. The role or function of darija in Morocco is the same as that of popular language or dialect: it has always been the language of everyday life, of work, of traditions, of folklore, of games, and as such reflects the concepts, well defined or not, of the people. Everything that is said about our lives, our history and our traditions is said in darija, even when the words belonged originally to Arabic or Berber.

4.2. Tamazight

Tamazight is a Berber language spoken by a minority of the Moroccan people, yet it possesses such dialectal diversity that many people can be and are classified as monolinguals. It is found in six large, distinct dialect groups plus a large number of subdialects: 1) Riffian in the Rif mountains in the north; 2) Tamazight in the Central High Atlas; 3) Tashelhiyt in the Anti-Atlas and south, including western Sous; 4) Tamazight; 5) Tamazight of the plains; and 6) Tamazight; These languages are related to Berber dialects found in Algeria, Libya, Mali, Tunisia, Egypt, and among nomads in the Sahraouiya Saharan region, but the spoken pragmatics of language, body language, and associated memorabilia become an art and discipline found only among Moroccan Berbers. Berber language groups, because of their dialectal diversity, are quite distinct from Arabic dialectal groups.

In the Rif and High Atlas, Tamazight is discussed with pride, grounded in a long tradition. It provides clues to historic invasion patterns, the inter-relationship of resistance movements, kinship and marriage patterns, Mozabite, Sahroui, Chleuh and other origins and intrusions, and so on. With its original lexicon and grammar, Tamazight is different from but historically and technologically influenced by both Arabic and Romance languages. Its many dialects, however, share with Arabic and Romance languages the areal commonality and structural sources that allow and explain the heavy borrowing from Arabic and Romance into each of them.

4.3. French Influence

For European French-speaking Moroccans or kids growing up in the Moroccan or mixed French-Arabic culture, it is also a way to interact with their environment. Some Moroccans use French as a language of work, while others use it like a necessary tool, as a language of study, as part of the functions of religious and institutional authority in society. The use of French often appears as a tool of domination, which is clung to the upper-middle classes, who want to ride herd on the lower, popular classes, Arabic speakers only. Economic and cultural dependency have fostered an increment of Francophones Moroccans, some of whom advocate a Francophone diversity by decolonizing French literature, using it to explore, say, Berber difficulties.

The various reasons which can make Moroccans Francophile accentuate more strength and effort the idea of discrediting the Arabic language. Some even see Arabic as a disturbing factor of unification in a bilingual or multilingual world, as something that would incite communities to seek their own ways, to criticize French or European policy against Muslim countries. The French government has never proposed mutually beneficial partnerships but simply a takeover of interests by a Muslim country, which owes its development to the West. These extremists are opposed to plurilinguism, favoring the Arabization of university courses, the media and, generally, all institutions. New legal stipulations on language have to assert them in a blatant way, but without really discrediting the Francophone option, unlike the closed and reductive vision.

5. Religious Practices

Religion functions at three levels: universally, organically, and individually, while the sacred and the profane are a related pair of concepts, interlocking in such a way that the sacred is meaningful only with respect to the profane, and vice versa. Cosmically, sacredness and religiosity vibrate along a wave pattern with our universe as its backdrop. This rhythm backs and sustains the great force of life. Organic religiosity is elaborated collectively in rituals, infrastructure, sculpture, temple, as economic and spatial expressions of the cosmic play. Infrastructural rites of passage mark the life stages of the organic community — individual birth, communal and family formation, physical maturity, life crisis at menopause and in sickness, societal making through marriage, crossing into death, with physical interment or cremation — and attempt to synchronize the lives of participants with the underlying cosmic rhythm.

Islam co-joins Palestinians, as Muslims and Christians alike toil, fight, and celebrate death and life, as organic beings together. Mosques, built collectively, mark the Islamic cosmological and capitalistic embrace. The indefinable marks first Mosque worship, its coffin-like form defined by the hut’s wooden roof with a long niche pointing to the Sacred Place. The only way of accessing the Grace is through the five obligatory religious duties, which touch all aspects of the believer’s life: public proclamation of faith, praying five times each day, almsgiving, fasting in Ramadan, and pilgrimage, which every Muslim is required to undertake at least once. The five sacred duties create a sacred economy of reciprocity and exchange, capitalistic in organized family-work, but socialist in breaking down the divisions between men and women, rich and poor, free and slave.

5.1. Islamic Traditions

Islam is the predominant religion of Morocco, and nearly the entire indigenous population is Muslim. Rabat’s Grand Mosque, built during the reign of Sultan Moulay Ismail in 1730, has been considered a national architectural treasure since its completion in 1736. Some of the finest of Moorish architecture can be seen along the streets and plazas of Fez’s medina. Local Islamic traditions are still very much alive and flourishing in Morocco today, as they have been for many centuries. Despite this seemingly leisurely pace of life, many visitors have been captivated by the religious devotion exhibited by most Moroccans, as well as their sociable character and hospitality.

Religious leaders known as cadi, composed primarily of a graduate class of recognized scholars called the ulama, locally oversee matters of Sharia law, particularly marriage, divorce, and inheritance issues. In the past, the cadi prescribed punishment of wrongdoing, such as theft, but the judicial system has been modernized, and today criminal law is mostly based on a contemporary system. Still, the cadi may impose punishment like an addiction and a repentant soul shall fast for two months for the temptation of the flesh. According to a few Muslim leaders, no one should intercede for sinners. Gradually, over the years and in exchange for a few days – the traditional Muslim ethnicity believes that a Muslim man or woman in order to be forgiven must fast for 30 days. Daily prayers are conducted five times a day wherever a person finds him or herself. No matter where you are or what you are doing, you must always stop and pray. The imbarkan is given either directly from the imam at the mosque or by interpreting the religious texts. Rather than purely Muslim, Moroccans practice a religion infused with their Berber roots and beliefs.

5.2. Cultural Festivals

Cultural festivals are essential in creating and revitalizing communities, celebrating local traditions, and promoting and sustaining local exports. However, the governance of these unique and distinctive fests is often done on an ad hoc basis, typically by volunteers at the neighborhood level. More formally organized commercial fests have sprung up in a few suburban settings, organized by special interest or ethnic groups, and have the support of local merchants and politicians. Such community institutions have existed for centuries and historically have extended the public domain, while the modern fraternal form has relied on a more privatized commercial model. Each cultural fest is subject to specific rhythms and cultural dysfunctions. Most people attending fests during the daytime, on weekends, will often spend a whole day in a reversed corporeal rhythm, just to see some friends or acquaintances with no intention of consuming. Adult consumption peaks at nighttime, while families go home, and it is at that moment that the function of the bar becomes essential: after a drink or two indoors, the whole family returns to the street.

Fests could be considered as powerful celebration systems, an opportunity for the community to outline its identity and show its richness to tourists. The ambience and atmosphere generated at each fest is an important component of appeal. Without the activities, the tone and ambience become sterile and there would be no reason for attending a given fest instead of another. Are tourists attracted by a given group of activities? Are certain activities more appropriate for encouraging tourists to visit overnight? Are community generated ethnic availability programs detrimental to growing the number of tourists? To derive maximum benefits from ethnic-oriented fests, host public authorities need detailed information.

6. Social Structure

6.1. Family Dynamics

The Muslim family system emphasizes not only the common elements binding its members together but also the assorted relations linking them with persons beyond the family’s immediate sphere of influence. The universal institution of family is shaped by the outlook and culture prevailing in a nation, blended with its historical fortunes, in selecting a given form for the principle expounded above. The family system of the Moroccan people is, therefore, a mutual product of the interplay of its religion, its culture, and the course of its historical development. Long contact and frequent clashes with other civilizations as well as the adoption of loans from them have exercised a marked influence on various aspects of the family system in Morocco.

Some of these elements may typically correspond to the Muslim family in general, while others may be specifically Moroccan. On the whole, however, this family system encapsulates the more important and attractive elements of the universal Muslim family. The Moroccan family is a corporate instead of an individualistic group. The main stress is laid not on the individual but on the unit comprising the parents, children, and other near relations, who are united by bonds of blood or marriage. It is assumed that each member of the family has an assigned place or function to fulfill. But within the family, the emphasis is more on discipline and cooperation in executing family functions, particularly those of supporting and educating children while dependent, rather than on individual needs and desires.

6.2. Community Roles

The kinship system of the Moroccan people consists of a group of persons united by ties either of blood or of marriage. They are associated together in a complex network of social obligations and responsibilities. Kinship politics have been, historically, a potent instrument in channelling the energies of the people for mobilization in the face of external threat. Democrats have stressed the need for a strong nation-building economy as a prerequisite for development. Family and kinship bonds work to hamper economic development by perpetuating a closed economy and traditional business practices. Traditionally, kinship and family were the most important source of security, motivation and support for the individual in Morocco.

6.1. Family Dynamics

Family is a basic element in all societies. It is the main factor that influences the individual’s behavior. In this section, we will see the family and its structure in Moroccan communities. There are many forms of family in Moroccan society. The basic and most common form is the extended or joint family, also known as family-complex. It is common in urban and rural areas, although with some distinctions; for example, in rural areas the extended family is made up of a father, mother, children, brothers, uncles, aunts, cousins, and their descendants, and it is established on the basis of blood ties. In urban areas, and especially in large cities, the extended family may consist of only a few members, such as a father, mother, children, and at least one of the married couples still living with their parents. In rural areas, and especially in small communities, family life is organized around the agricultural economy. There are no family-defined villages. The residential pattern is multigenerational, that is, the family lives together in a single house. The mother according to the onset of the subsistence economy takes care of the home. The father spends most of his time away from the family, usually in the field. Children begin working as soon as they are able to help and become economically useful. The family assumes practically all economic functions. Money circulates internally and is managed collectively. These functions are performed through solidarity and reciprocal help in gifts, work or services. The risks of illness and death are largely covered by family assistance.

6.2. Community Roles

Communities are groups of humans that, as a result of their common affection, support, help, or boat towards similar objects in the environment, maintain interrelationships in different ways and at many levels, relatively enduring over time. Community action allows people to develop their ability to cooperate and, through organized action and creativity, seek more favorable conditions of health, development, and living for themselves and for those with whom they share a territory and a socio-cultural environment. Different customs, usages, crafts, and activities are assigned in space and time and to specific populations who, through adaptation and loyalty to their community, ensure continuity and preservation of the values found within. Despite the many global changes and the cross-cultural influences produced, these continued associations, actions, functions, and intercultural affiliations play an essential role. Diverse types of functions can be identified, such as those that belong to family groups, linked to kinship bonds and interpersonal affective relationships; others that concern local groups, which meet in shared events, both festive and ritual, such as cycles of life or the calendar year; others linked to the work group, which vary according to age and the seasons of the year, as well as activities, increasingly marked by seasonal and migratory techniques and rhythms; others linked to age groups, which concern, for example, challenges among youths as regards the evolution of ideas and customs; and others related to groups determined by a religion or social affinity, in a marked quest for redefinition of their identities.

7. Cuisine

Moroccan cuisine is one of the richest worldwide thanks to the history of the country which united many cultures and traditions. Moroccan dishes emerge from the coupling of Berber with Arab, Jewish, and some African influences. Mainly, it is a popular cuisine, rich in herbs, spices, and oils that uses simple products elaborated with a very special savoir-faire. The most known dishes are the tajines and couscous that are originally Berber. Tajine is a pot made of clay that separates in two different pieces allowing the steam to continually circulate. It has different dishes inside (meat or fish, vegetable, nuts, etc.), boiled with sauce. Depending on the different spices and adding other ingredients, you get a diverse number of tajines: tajine of chicken and lemon, tajine of beef with prunes, tajine of fish, etc. Known and appreciated worldwide, couscous is one of the traditional Berber dishes. Originally, this dish is composed only of boiled semolina with water. It is tasted hot and with sauce and accompanied by seven different vegetables that are boiled and seasoned with olive oil and spices (a little chili). Depending on the region or the family traditions, the couscous can be prepared with sauce of lamb (the original one) or chicken or fish. From the north of the country you have the Lebanese couscous with a lot of spices and nuts. And in Morocco, you have a special recipe coming from the Arabs of the south. Protected by UNESCO, it is one of the essential dishes that you have to try during your visit. Couscous and tajine take their raw material from the crops, and the fish are coming from the Atlantic Ocean coast. Those that live on the sea offer you different dishes with sardines (grilled or marinade), and in other regions like those in the north of the country, you have different dishes with fish (grilled fish, grilled fish with spices, and fried fish). In the south of the country, the Berber specialty is mechui, lamb grilled on a fire. In the other regions, this same dish can be prepared inside the tajine, which usually is beef dammed or chicken. Moreover, those that live in the mountain prepare special dishes with mountain products for example, boar stew, snails cooked in braziers, and the different olives coming from around the country which go perfectly with the Moroccan mint tea.

7.1. Traditional Dishes

The Moroccan kitchen is one of the richest and most varied. The following are but a few of its constituents: the many green, yellow, and red spices; the aroma and taste of lemon; the savory, nutty, oily, yet still clean effect of sesame; the tasty olive oil that drips on delectable breads; the delicate structure of pastry and, moreover, the incomparable, dulcet effect of honey and the satisfying, creamy aspect of cherbet. From the medina to the souk, the first port of call is the bakeshop. Bread is decidedly the basis of every dish, and accordingly many worry about which wood is used for baking; for the purists, it should be a mixture of “sweet, tender wood” and dry “aromatic” wood, which can be almost tropical and should preferably be scented with cedar.

Dishes such as harira, a vegetable-based soup, kifet (meatballs) that are sweetened and melt in the mouth; tajin, thin clay plates that mix rice, meat, and vegetables; bastilla, a royal dish consisting of pastries stuffed with squab and dusted with sugar; coucous; ormerosels, snail soup, whose instrumental “shell” is rarely used; poultry with preserved lemons; lamb and kid stuffed with almonds and raisins; dried salted fish; dried fruits stuffed with nuts; many salads from Europe and elsewhere, such as the klefmout or tatzionne, and sweet and sour dishes encompass Morocco’s kitchen and fill its hospitality. At great festivities, the Moroccan kitchen displays its inherent skills, and bahts are the workhorses of frying dishes.

7.2. Influence of Geography

An excellent mixture of Eastern, Mediterranean, and African flavors creates Moroccan cuisine, where spices play a leading role. However, more than spices, it is the diversity of the ingredients used, which range from the rich geography of the best olive, dates, and pomegranate areas, to the country’s Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, that makes Moroccan cuisine unique. Along the coast, fish and seafood are possibly the easiest-to-eat dishes, while along the route from the coast to the interior, where fogginess leaves produce sweet dry fruits, fruits have been a long time source for desserts or pastes. But along this route, there are also centers, where small herds age for being later enough tender for various tagines or brochettes. And then, the rich high plain areas, where some eat couscous made with wheat. And how to forget the Arabic influence? It leaves behind great parts of the eaten sweets, from halva to dates.

Geographically, Morocco can be divided into mountainous regions in the south, north, and center of the country, large plains, and the coast bordering the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Regions determined by the advantages and disadvantages of nature. It is mankind, taking advantage of nature’s facilities to develop, who, by daily effort, turn arid lands into cultivated, green, and fertile areas. To build up a nation capable of facing the strong cultures, who suffer the much more extreme influence of the forces of nature, moderation and balance are needed. And among moderate and balanced values, some are related to geography. Both influences and will power shape the personality of Moroccans, who combine Islamic beliefs with Berber attachment which, like a river, is more deepening with time.

8. Arts and Crafts

Moroccan arts and crafts include numerous artistic creations represented in sculpture and painting, music and dance, as well as metal, textile, leather, glass, ceramic, and woodwork. They are made by qualified craftsmen and regularly inspire contemporary artists. These decorations include geometric patterns, rippling calligraphic writings, and stylized representations of animals and plants.

Moroccan music is rich and diverse, with approximately twenty kinds related to each ethnic group of the Moroccan population. It plays an important role in Saharan life. Popular celebrations are more or less similar from region to region. With famous and diverse dancers, the Moroccan dance coincides with every opportunity. Every dance is accompanied by a specific music that differs from one region to another since each region has its own drum. It symbolizes the soil, climate, and traditions of each tribe and gives it its specificity.

The history of visual arts in Morocco is particularly linked to that of traditional crafts. Viable cities in Morocco, which started out as the capitals of the great dynasties, developed and became places of attraction for merchants, pilgrims, and artists. Their forts relied on rural tribes, their bazaars animated by colorful exchanges, and their mosques with minarets adorned with zillij, carved plaster, and cedar wood. All these artists perpetuated a thousand-year-old know-how inscribed in the memory of Moroccans. Inventiveness and creation always renewed, defined visual arts in Morocco since its inception. Today, painted pottery in Arab Muslim art is certainly the most representative of this art. Unfortunately, the use of pigments on the centuries-old ceramics of North Africa dating from Romano-Punic times has diminished the current production of craftsmen, who are currently limited to monochrome engravings. But, pottery bringing together drawings and colored pigments has reappeared irrigated by ancient techniques.

8.1. Music and Dance

Music and dance are two forms of art that are important in expressing the soul of the people. In Morocco, music is considered as one of the most important parts of the rhythm of daily life, and it is also closely linked to the traditions and cultural heritage of the Moroccan people. available research indicates the existence of more than seven styles of music in the country. If we talk about music genres known among Moroccans, we can mention: Berber music, Arabic music, Gnaoua music, Saharian music, pop music and modern music.

For many Moroccans, the reality of the country today is expressed in Hip-hop music which took root recently; whereas others consider that the reality of every Moroccan is expressed in the other traditional genres. As for dance, it is an essential part of Moroccan music. Moroccans practice dance in various occasions of happiness and pleasure, such as parties, weddings, celebrating the birth of a child, etc. And since such occasions have special forms, such as speech, sound, dance and dress, there are many types of music and dance in Morocco, which vary from one group and occasion to another. When we say types, we are talking about the tempo of the music and dance, the rhythm of the body and space movements, the clothes worn by the dancers and the characteristic accessories of the region, and the costume, band and the number of musicians.

Since music and dance form part of the cultural heritage of a people which requires protection, the Moroccan known genres should not only be protected, but also continued to be performed. Some have survived because they are still performed. Moroccan music and dance are also reflected by several groups that come from different Communities, such as the Berber community and the Saharouan Community. These groups perform various genres of music and dance which transmit to the new generations the message of respecting the Moroccan collective memory and the values of tolerance, as well as the identity of the Moroccan people.

8.2. Visual Arts

In Tanger’s market, there is a section where one can find the original works of native painters. The representations made by them reflect the productions of the Moorish school in its beginning. The painter uses the colors of the surroundings in a primitive way. Beside this section of market, one can see many houses in construction. On the outer walls, there are murals showing scenes of the Mediterranean life, done by an architect. He “talentedly condemns” in the manner of the pre-Renaissance muralistes. He is such an experienced architect, such a diligent traveler, with so much to show us, that we hope he won’t restrict himself to a general precept which, anyhow, leaves out the particularities of a place. At present, taste in craftsmanship is very varied. Some craftsmen have an exquisite sense of style; others, too new-age, end up making souvenirs, betraying the very technique of their art. One can find the work of many artists in galleries throughout Morocco, and even in Europe. One can also find Calligraphic Art, exhibiting the mastery that an artist is able to achieve. Photography also draws people’s attention, as it is able to translate a reality of mystery but is not able to go beyond reality. Although patented, it does hypothesize a reality that parlays with dreams. In reality, a simple painting, not so committed to technique, has the power to embroider us delicate fables of moving simplicity. These works adhere to the fanciful rules of the naive painter, and know how to apply themselves with casual wit or energetic energy, on linens, woods, walls, and even ceilings. As a port of arrival, the four corners of the world mix with the marine mixed-tribes.

9. Clothing and Fashion

Moroccan clothing and fashion reveal much about the country’s history, especially the influences of foreign civilizations. Morocco is known for both traditional and modern styles. Traditional clothing that dates back centuries, such as the djellaba, is worn by people from all walks of life, while beautiful kaftans are often worn by brides and during holidays and special occasions. Djellabas, with their long sleeves, hoods, and colors, are worn year-round and can be embellished with embroidery. Well-to-do citizens wear djellabas made of wool or silk, while the less fortunate wear them made of cotton. During the summer months, people wear light-colored cotton or linen djellabas. A djellaba typically costs depending on the fabric. Men can also wear a jaba, which is a knee-length sleeveless coat or cape not unlike the djellaba. Fishermen along the beach wear a colorful short version. Women wear the takchita, a two-piece kaftan usually made of cotton. It is often worn by women for special occasions and comes in various styles and colors. The takchita typically costs. The niqab, a scarf-like veil that leaves only a woman’s eyes exposed, is often worn by the Arab Berber women during strict religious occasions such as prayer. The burnous, a long woolen hooded cloak, is worn by both men and women, although women usually wear it only during winter.

As for modern influences, clothing and fashion are important to city-dwellers. Young people tend to follow Western trends closely and wear the latest clothes and jewelry. Women often wear tight jeans and pullovers or short blouses, while men may dress in similar styles to those worn by young men. In the medinas, you can find shops selling ready-to-wear clothing. Throughout the cities, you will find an impressive variety of jeans, cheap clothes, shoes, and accessories, a variety that goes hand in hand with the madness of shopping and the number of young people prowling streets and malls.

9.1. Traditional Attire

The attire of the Moroccan nation is among its effects. It represents the signs of its existence and the publics that express it. It helps realize its unity and shape its distinctive character. In the past, clothes were made of organic fibers such as wool, cotton, and silk, often colored with natural plant extracts. Traditional Moroccan clothing is somewhat formal, though it varies from region to region. Today, it is mostly worn in the countryside and on special occasions. It can be classified in accordance with genders and age groups. For women, we can mention the following: the djellaba, the haik, the malhafa, the caftan, the takchita, the chamia, the yonou net essouma/rondouma, the sarouel, the kimono, the blouse, the taznakht. For men, we can mention the following: the djellaba, the gibba, the saroual, the kel’z, the atrach, the ghayta, the jouble. In the past, the rich mainly wore clothes that were not needed for productive work. The latter appeared more as signs of dignity and signs of social existence than pure needs. To wear new clothes, Moroccan men each had a designated space at the market during the obligatory praying time on Friday, to avoid disturbing and blocking the prayers. Today, however, many Moroccans often discard their traditional clothes due to the arrival of foreign fashions or as a result of globalization.

9.2. Modern Influences

While the majority of the Moroccans, especially the Berbers, still wear their traditional clothes, their styles are ornamented and modernized, like the Maghreb cities who now swept with modern life. The imported clothes and garments now are preferably the summer dress, and the same wool of Hebraeo-Maghreb fabrics used in winter produces warp cornets of fashions of jacket and skirt. The trend nowadays continues an old-fashioned style of short, round and open skirts. The jellabiya is tiled or embroidered silk of the same fabrics. Women buy underneath silk blouses, and the espadrille is the preferred shoe, though sandals are sometimes used. There is a growing preoccupation, especially of young girls, who copiously visited the shops, about a pretty face. The chosen scent is slighted musk, carefully hidden from the men, who, it is said, are killed by it. Most of the perfumes sold in Casablanca are imports. Alongside the old traditional Berber casing, small shopkeepers propose a selection of more modern clothes. The clientele of the pension restaurants of Rabat, Marrakesh and Essaouira adopt a chic style composed of T-shirts, shorts or straight pants “capris”, in cotton or linen. Sport has become pseudo-fashion, and the sports bands of the Western products are a reference for local trends, though for men, the jellaba jacket remains.

All over northern Morocco, it is usually preferred to the influence of the Colonization, fashion is reduced to two or three Western clothes. Trousers or shorts for casual days, especially summer units, are preferred in cotton or linen. Moroccan in the cities, pants like the young girls who pretend half-dresses for partnerships, in other words, dresses close to their country, for the arrival of foreign tourists. The revolt against the colonial difficulties, I don’t know the name of the skirt that divided Europe.

10. Education and Literacy

Morocco has a relatively high level of formal education compared to many other countries in the region. Nevertheless, it is perceived as having serious educational problems. Others report that dropping out rates are very high. This is partly reflected in a lower-than-average number of graduates who make the transition from upper secondary education to tertiary education. Within the Muslim world, Morocco’s education system has also been criticized for being too focused on identifying and correcting errors. Nevertheless, Morocco has successfully built a sizeable public and private system for secular education drawing on models from Europe and the United States. Third Millennium Moroccan children are likely to grow up fluent not only in Arabic and Berber but also in French, and increasingly in English and Spanish, as well as being exposed to a wide range of native Arab and Berber literatures and a variety of cultural styles.

10.1. Historical Context

In pre-colonial Morocco, Qur’anic schools provided the vast majority of children with basic literacy and numeracy skills. There is evidence that the level of basic literacy achieved by pupils from some urban and wealthier family backgrounds was quite high. Colonial governors established public schools that offered European-style education mainly to the children of the Muslim elite, ignoring the vast majority of Moroccans who were either illiterate or educated by Qur’anic schools. After independence from colonial rule in 1956, Morocco rapidly established both Arabic- and French-language models of public education which were free and compulsory for the children of all citizens until they reached the age of thirteen. But although demand for education rose rapidly, the system developed is inefficient. Many rural children who are expected to travel long distances to attend school, especially at the beginning and end of the academic year, drop out.

10.1. Historical Context

Providing education and achieving literacy within Morocco has faced a myriad of diverse challenges, primarily due to centuries of varied philosophical approaches, rivaling colonial influences, and a recent shifting socio-economic environment. Men of letters across both the Idreesid and the Saadi dynasties had long recognized the importance of implementing a robust domestic educational system. However, with the arrival of the French and the Spanish protectorates in the early twentieth century, Moroccan education became the purview of various colonial regimes who employed education as a tool for control. While the French were assisted in their goal of linguistic assimilation by the barely developed educational system left behind by Spain in their relatively tiny occupied section of northern Morocco, Madrid’s past record of support for the Moroccan Reg Wifaq al- Naqs, the New Federation of Moroccans, and the Ulema al-Maghrib remained an obstacle. Additionally, each colonial regime had different perspectives concerning the best education approach to achieve the desired assimilation. Given the sociolinguistic environment of modern-day Morocco, the success of both colonial regimes was a mixed affair and the legacy of French and Spanish rule remains visible. In the post-colonial period, expansion of available educational opportunities, boosted literacy rates, especially among the younger generation, and educational policy has fluctuated between various extremes. On one hand, compared to a century ago, the number of students from both urban and rural areas enrolled in primary education has vastly increased and girls are still gaining accessibility to school. On the other hand, concerns about educational quality have persisted and Morocco continues to struggle with post-school educational transitions, especially for young men.

10.2. Current Trends

While Morocco has had success increasing access to education, enrollment patterns often reflect economic challenges. Access for girls has increased, but is often contingent upon secondary schools opening in the nearby towns. Subsistence agriculture is labor intensive, and schooling at this level is often a luxury that draws girls and boys alike away from participation. Patterns of accommodation and accommodation fatigue are common. The prevalence of repeating grades remains notable, especially in elementary schools, affecting boys and girls. For a variety of factors, including the educational backgrounds of parents, students from rural settings and in poorer urban districts are more likely to fail to complete the higher levels of schooling. Alternative educational arrangements have developed outside the mainstream public system that are especially popular among parents wishing to increase their daughters’ standings. The number of students attending private schools, primarily in the urban areas, now account for more than 7 percent of the total. Many of these schools, particularly the better ones, are run by organizations and are expensive. It is not unusual for middle-class families to spend a significant part of their income on sending children to better-established secular private schools, because they believe that the level of instruction is better than that in public schools; the requirement that students learn Arabic is also seen as a detriment to the process by the government’s own advisors. A growing opposition to the increase of content in primary schools by left-wing and feminist forces argues that the traditional associations and institutions that education represents inhibit women’s development. Young people are also joining in, when they want to be taught English — the language of business and opportunity — in addition to the training.

11. Economic Activities

The inhabitants of Morocco have always been people who work in order to live. Everyone must undertake some economic activity that will ensure them the means to support themselves and their family. The fact is that Moroccans are endowed with a remarkable business sense and talent. They become merchants, craftsmen, farmers, etc. However, these diverse activities are encountered in different proportions according to the regions. On the whole and due to its significant surface area, Morocco is an agricultural country, and the majority of people living in the countryside work the land. However, in recent years, especially since independence, due to the great development of cities and the movement of rural exodus, the proportion of city-dwellers has grown significantly. In the cities, commerce, industry, and handicrafts play the most important role in the daily life of the population.

11.1. Agriculture

With its charming climate, fertile land, and abundance of water, Morocco has always been an agricultural country. It is located at the intersection of several animal and plant migrators that have played a role in creating its very diverse agriculture. Despite the evolution of its economic situation, agriculture continues to occupy an important place in the economy of the nation by providing a good proportion of Gross National Product, exports, and jobs. However, this importance should not hide the fact that rural exodus is to be seen everywhere as a consequence of overpopulation in the countryside.

11.2. Tourism

Tourism has become one of the most important factors of prosperity for some regions of Morocco. Despite the many crises through which it has gone, especially during the political turmoils of certain countries in the region, it continues to support a good part of the Moroccan people who work all the year round for the rest of the summer. The great specificity of Moroccan tourism is mountain tourism. It is the cold and altitude which attract cool-seeking tourists rather than the winter sports which abound in the great alpine massifs. However, all the other kinds of tourism: sea and sun, nature, adventure and discovery, etc. play an important role in the annual influx of tourists.

11.3. Handicrafts

11.1. Agriculture

Morocco is an agrarian country. With an area of 446,550 square kilometers and with a Moroccan population of 44 million people, approximately 14.8 million people are rural. Agriculture remains one of the two most important sources of employment, income, and trade. About 90 percent of the agricultural production remains in the internal market and is an important base for the food security of the country. The sector employs directly about 12.35 percent of the labor force; indirectly, its influence extends towards nearly half of the Moroccan population, either through commercial exchange or regional development.

Different factors converge to the making of the Moroccan earth. Firstly, it opens to the northwest on the Atlantic Ocean, where lie its maritime harbors, especially that of Casablanca, and the most fertile plain of the country. Little by little, the Atlantic region gets covered with large wheat and barley cultures, as well as by sugar cane and cotton. Secondly, the great mountains, the High Atlas and the Anti-Atlas, after being the summer pastures, present on their northern slopes near the sea, a charming variety of the Mediterranean agriculture. Thirdly, the eastern fringe which borders Algeria is less favorable for agriculture, with great parched earths, where millet and hemp are produced, and which are primarily rural pastoral regions. The Moroccan agriculture is largely determined by the seasonal rains of 400 to 700 millimeters, which fall between October and March. The sun shines generously for nine months in the year in the country. The flora is a rich mix of Mediterranean and Saharan species, also distinguishing species of the other continents.

Modern land distribution, which is beginning to emerge, will help lower another social tension, expressed by the observable gulf between the richer agriculturalists of the economic region of Casablanca-Rabat and the poorest of the Moroccan interior.

11.2. Tourism

Tourism plays a significant role in the Moroccan economy, contributing nearly five percent of the GDP, providing direct employment for over half a million people, and producing approximately one million jobs indirectly. In 1999, the country attracted about 7.5 million foreign visitors, a significant increase from the previous year. The Moroccan tourist industry suffered a decline in the aftermath of the Gulf War and continued to suffer through 1997. Tourism recovered beginning in 1998, largely due to events surrounding the coronation of King Mohammed VI, and has grown rapidly since, returning to pre-Gulf War levels. Tourists are attracted to the kingdom’s eclectic mix of North African, Arab, and European influences, its long Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines, its natural beauty, and its UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Morocco has a wealth of ancient cities, all boasting a significant medina, or old city center, with narrow alleys winding through bazaars filled with local handicraft and foodstuffs. The interior mountain areas provide excellent hiking opportunities.

Morocco has a well-developed travel infrastructure, with beaches, rural locations, and mountain areas accessible via a network of good roads and airlines linking the country to Europe and destinations in the Middle East and Africa. The Moroccan government has actively pursued international tourist traffic, claiming visitors from Europe account for over 80 percent of the nation’s tourism. In 1998, French nationals were by far the largest group of tourists, followed by visitors from Spain, Italy, Germany, and the United States. The attractions most frequently visited are Marrakech, Fez, Casablanca, and Tangier; other popular locations include Agadir, the ski area in Oukaimeden, the hill towns of Chefchaouen and Ifrane, the colonial city of Meknes, and the Roman ruins of Volubilis. Visitors are especially attracted by the availability of guided tours, which allow them to travel around the country, experiencing its many different regions.

11.3. Handicrafts

Handicrafts are a very ancient activity for which Morocco is famous, and are increasingly thriving thanks to the development of handicraft cooperatives. The materials used are numerous, and the know-how of the craftsmen is often remarkable. Among the most common activities in the countryside, we find straw or wicker working, wool weaving, pottery, and the preparation of small traditional wooden objects. Among the coarser wool, women weave scarves that are worn in the south, while men wear burnouses made of finer wool and interlaced with colored designs. The carpets, in wool or goat hair, are made in the mountains and in the south. There are two types of décor: one is composed of geometric figures, while the other represents some scenes of everyday life.

Craftsmen work metals, especially in the cities, who make the famous trays of various silver alloys: brass, copper, gold-darkening tin. Among the cutlery, the daggers of the southern cities, unlike the daggered braids of the city of Fes, have a short handle inlaid with brilliant colored wood with tips and grooves, all in bright bright colors or adorned with inscriptions. In volumes of great originality and sometimes monumental, the iron forging is worked in a very artistic way, sometimes covered with pieces of brass. Lees of great imagination and little solid use are made of iron, decorated with graceful inscriptions. Common grinding stones or mechanical pumice stones, and wooden picks are made. The art of stained glass has made significant progress in recent times, especially in the region of Fes, where clever craftsmanship allows us to manufacture millimetric engraved filigree works, finely lacquered and often colored. Other types of ceramic, in bright colors or monochrome, are worked in other regions.

12. Political Landscape

Morocco is a constitutional monarchy, ruled by the Alaouite dynasty since the sixteenth century. The king appoints the prime minister, who must be the head of the political party that won the plurality in the last parliamentary election, as well as the members of the Council of Ministers. The Parliament consists of the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives. The House of Councillors has 270 members serving six-year terms and represents regional councils, chambers of commerce, and labor syndicates. The House of Representatives has 395 members, directly elected in a five-year term. The king retains the power to dissolve Parliament, choose the leaders in key matters of state and appoint judges. Popular political debate circles around the election cycle and impacts the policies of the parties. The Istiqlal Party and the Union Socialist Party share a historical rivalry and have been the most frequently elected. In addition to these traditional parties, other parties have emerged in the last decades, led by moderately democratic Islamic tendencies.

Parliament has limited power to influence the economy. The king and his administration control key sectors, such as justice, foreign affairs, defense and security. After the 2011 popular uprising, King Mohamed VI unveiled a new Constitution granting further powers to the prime minister, elected by direct universal suffrage, and the Parliament. The prime minister is responsible for government work and may initiate laws, oversee the implementation of legislation and decide on government policies. However, many analysts consider that this Constitution does not give the prime minister enough power to dominate the government. Law-making initiative is reserved to the king and Parliament cannot amend the laws. These current restrictions prevent a complete democratic transition.

12.1. Government Structure

Morocco has a traditional political system. After the independence, the country opted for a constitutional monarchy. Both monarch and parliament have legislative powers. Legislative power is exercised jointly by the King and parliament, while executive power is exercised by the government. For the King, the constitution declares the king “the commander of the faithful, the guarantor of religion, the protector of the nation and the arbiter of its differences”, and allocates the following domains to his prerogatives: religious and military authority, appointment of government officials.

The House of Representatives is made up of 395 deputies, of whom 305 are elected from party-lists by direct universal suffrage and 90 are selected from party-lists reserved for women. Since the elections, the Chamber has been led by an opposition party. Political parties can be categorized into three groups: the first, which includes more developed branches of the Arab political model, consists of the National Democratic Party of the Istiqlal, the MMA Party of Justice and Development, and the Party of Progress and Socialism. The second group, made up of the French political model parties, is formed by the Moroccan Socialist Union, the National Popular Movement, and the Democratic Front. The third group consists of parties of regional or ethnic importance, and is made up of the Berber Popular Movement and the Unified Socialist Party. The Moroccan Remembrance Party is currently inactive.

12.2. Civic Engagement

This chapter discusses the civic engagement of Moroccan citizens, especially among young people. Civic engagement is defined as the relationship between citizens and government institutions, including political participation. In Morocco, the most frequent form of political participation by citizens involves voting in elections, particularly for legislative and municipal elections. Many ethnic groups participate in elections aimed at territorial representation, from the grassroots localized level in regions and provinces to the wider level of major urban centers. As such, voting entails much more than the mere formalistic exercise of going to the polls. Rather, it reflects group affinities and also the availability of links to reinforce them.

Civic engagement among Moroccan citizens has been particularly pronounced from the uprisings onwards, especially among youths. The voices of youths were particularly influential in the national uprisings that were staged on February 20 and subsequent months. Youths have been particularly invested in the creation of associational sporting and cultural spaces that promote volunteerism and citizen initiatives. Youths have also mobilized around civic engagement on a decentralized basis, with national coalitions appearing in response to local issues, such as a demand for the renovation and restoration of the great cedar forests in the Middle Atlas region. Such coalitions are also critical of institutionalized politics and political parties.

13. Migration Patterns

Migration occupies an extremely important place in Moroccan history. It is often regarded as a traditional strategy on the part of communities faced with a precarious and limited economic situation. Migration often results directly from a particular period of social and demographic development and hence is classified as ‘explanatory’ migration. But it is also often perceived as an integral part of the dynamic process of economic globalization and the diffusion of the system of ‘world cities’. As a consequence, and because of a form of collective memory that glorifies the contributions made by influential migrants, international migration continues to be considered as one of the principal types of mobility for which there exists a strong demand among Moroccan youths. This demand is rudimentary. It functions as a kind of economic and social insurance policy against uncertainty and precariousness and is not based on initial aspirations towards education or settlement abroad.

Social constraints coming from the parental home continue to favour the maintenance of a relatively low level of personal and social demands. Emerging generations tend to consider migration as a choice that is legitimate in case of failure to reach one’s economic and working objectives at home. Legal difficulties, with regard to a regular and stable situation in the host country, are such that the options available to migrants are increasingly limited to those of ‘temporal’ and ‘circular’ migration. For these reasons, there are hardly any empirical references available to suggest that migration represents a definitive type of mobility. Nevertheless, its ‘temporary’ character might prove to be ‘definitive’ in the case of a sectorial collapse of certain economic activities which have been largely dependent on negative internal migration.

13.1. Emigration Trends

Migration has always been a prominent subject addressed by researchers in Morocco. Emigration first consisted of a short duration form of labor migration, usually geared towards France, which was indeed an important provider of labor revenue for Moroccan workers and their families. Nevertheless, it has become permanent, changing the migratory pattern of that demographic group. Evacuated from the country, Moroccan emigrants diversified their destination and their emigration phase now leads to a discussion of the historical choice of major departure areas and the place of the Moroccan community in the current transnational resort management process by families and investors. Emigration has thus developed in a way that prevents the economic and social attachments of the country of origin from being completely severed.

Moroccans now live in all European countries, but the six countries with the largest concentration of Moroccan emigrants are: France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Germany. Spain supplanted France at the end of the 1960s to become one of the main countries of emigration ever since. The census of Moroccans abroad lists approximately 3,421,000 Moroccans, excluding dual nationalities. The Moroccan community in Europe is estimated at around 5 million. The majority, more than 70 percent, reside in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The census mentions 650,000 Moroccan children residing in France, who are either French nationals or waiting to be naturalized, which clearly shows that the pattern of family reunification is far from having disappeared. In Italy, the concentration of the Moroccan population is greater in the northern regions than in the southern ones.

13.2. Diaspora Communities

Although it is difficult for us to give exact figures, an estimated 4 million Moroccans are currently living abroad, mainly in Europe. Almost half of them live in France and Spain, countries with historical links and colonial ties. A little less than a million live in the Gulf countries, many of whom came back to Morocco. Around 250,000 are settled in North America, mainly in the United States. Other regions of the world only account for 5 percent of the diaspora. Despite the diversity of its host countries and the different ages at which Moroccans left, the diaspora shares a number of specific qualities, including youth and high levels of education. Almost 600,000 young people left Morocco for a Western country between 1972 and 1990.

The first Moroccan immigrants arrived in migrant countries in the early 1930s, but the momentum started in the 1960s after the economic and political crises caused by World War II. The factories and mines of France and Belgium hired large numbers of seasonal workers. From the early 1970s to the mid-1980s, a drop in the oil economy led to the return of many Moroccans. The emigration flow shifted when new migrations to Europe took shape, with families and students joining the workers. The time spent living in Europe was initially a way to save money; it was only toward the end of the 1980s that migrants became part of a permanent relationship with their countries of origin. The Moroccan diaspora became integrated into the host societies without losing its links with Morocco. The amount of money transferred to Morocco by the diaspora is part of the family budget, but also a means of satisfying needs in the housing, setting up a business, and investment sectors.

14. Challenges and Opportunities

This neo-liberal society has its roots in economic capitalism, the negative effects of which cannot be overlooked. The questions constantly raised concern the definition of the place to be given to the economics of the relations between people, solidarity and sacrifice, and the challenge to the abstract submission to economic rationality. This relates to the great challenge, both for Morocco and elsewhere, of achieving a mix between the undeniable efficiency of the economic motor and the defence of the fundamental social values that unite peoples. This is a great challenge at a time when this socialist economy and culture, of clearly defined objectives of self-development and improvement in the quality of life for all, are giving way to an increasingly economically-driven culture, one that respects neither the essences nor the symbols of the Team, that works persistently to edge forward amongst other actors of the world economy, who are more advance.

Morocco is in this transitional phase, subject to the double challenge of having to give a new direction to its development while facing competition from the giants of the world markets, who apply the rules of “win or lose”. In fact, until recently, certain aspects of traditional culture, which were a wealth of resources in themselves and which mainly benefited the small populations of the interior, were neglected in favour of a growth exerted by the regions and for the benefit of the great national and international exporters. The fight for individual well-being seemed to be more rewarding and was weakened only by the contentions of endemic poverty. This balance has, however, been upset by mounting social unrest and diversions which impose, once again, the imperious obligation of taking into account the social values of solidarity, sacrifice and sharing and of framing them within a framework of protective structures, of local regional bases and national patterns of coherence.

14.1. Social Issues

For a country so rich in history and trade networks, Morocco suffers dramatically from poverty and underdevelopment. As the economy has grown lately, income distribution has worsened. In general, men earn about 60 percent more than women, blue-collar workers earn two-thirds less than white-collar employees, and rural residents earn 80 percent less than city dwellers. In general, those who have some education earn substantially more than the illiterate. The official unemployment figure is said to hover around the 10.5 percent level, with the numbers of women and young people being much greater. A large portion of those without jobs never find official registries, so the actual number is thought to be much larger and possibly include 30 percent of those of working age.

Urban migration has led to the formation of vast shantytowns near the cities. Outside of the capital, Rabat, and the busiest port city, Casablanca, whose skylines reflect modern development, the country looks neglected. Most city residents are without sewage systems, electrical wiring, or good water supplies and live in small, crowded huts that cling to steep hillsides. Some of the poorer, internal cities, like Guelmim and Tiznit, are said to be less fortunate than before the consumer economy began opening up. Crowds of young children scavenging through the city’s garbage at dawn also characterize the modern Moroccan economy. A small elite class of wealthy businessmen and industrialists is becoming more apparent, and shopping malls in Rabat and Casablanca reflect the influence of Western culture. The haute bourgeoisie shops in modern stores for goods that come from the West, while the poor search the markets for the cheapest goods imaginable.

14.2. Economic Development

In 2010, Morocco had a nominal GDP of about $101 billion; its per capita GDP was $2,800, placing the country among the lower middle-income economies of the world. After growing at rates of 51/2 percent on average from 2000 to 2007, Morocco’s economy was gravely affected by the 2008-2009 international crisis. The economic downturn accompanied by declining commodity prices in 2009, particularly that of phosphates which account for about 26 percent of Morocco’s overall exports, drew the country’s GDP growth down to 3.5 percent. However, the Moroccan economy rapidly recovered in 2010, with a GDP growth of 3 percent, largely due to strong global demand for the country’s phosphates and increased tourism revenues. Growth slowed again in 2011, due to continuing international uncertainties, but is projected to recover at the rate of 4.5 percent in 2012.

Recent economic recovery has been accompanied by a declining inflation rate and relatively moderate deficits – of 6.6 and 2.6 percent of respectively the budgetary and external balances in 2009. However, the close relationship between domestic and external revenues, and the commodity-exposed nature of the country’s economy continue to expose the Moroccan economy to domestic and international cyclical fluctuations while making fiscal consolidation challenging. Despite recent favorable interbank developments, bank credit growth in 2009 was still weak and had a toughening effect on market liquidity during the second part of the year. Moreover, non-bank interest rates remained clearly lower than bank interest rates during this period, compromising any chances of reviving bank activity.

15. International Relations

Irrespective of political schemas, each nation seeks to forge appropriate partnerships and alliances in a quest for security, peace and stability. The weight of these international relations and the importance of the location of Morocco have endowed it with values and legitimacy. By its geographical location and equilibrated foreign policy, Morocco has always been an essential partner for all issues dealing with security and stability in the Mediterranean and Atlantic region. The regional dimension of foreign relations obliges Morocco to promote effective regional cooperation and the integration of Arab Maghreb Union States into a cooperative process making possible the development of their economies and the stabilization of their institutions. It expects no less than political solidarity to resolve the disputes that undermine the unity and weaken the positions of the member countries on the Arab, African and international stages. Morocco is called to promote cooperation frameworks. Morocco has the duty to strengthen its ties to Arab and Muslim countries, in particular through cultural exchanges whether in travel, study or media terms, in particular via visual communication and information technologies. The global aspect of foreign relations leads Morocco to cooperate with an ever-increasing number of countries, in particular within the Islamic context and with emerging countries. For twenty years or so, Moroccan diplomacy has been developed further in the area of economic diplomacy. It aims to help Moroccan companies create resident lifelines-personnel and commercial bases-to develop in these areas or emerging countries, whether through mutual investment in the host country via participation in the capital or through joint ventures in Morocco in a perspective of promotion and export of goods and/or services to other areas.

15.1. Regional Partnerships

This current crisis in the Arab world, particularly represented by the Palestinian problem and to a lesser degree the Kuwaiti – Iraqi war has pushed earlier regional relations to the fringes of the political cartography. Yet, historically, these relationships have had a profound impact on Arab and Mediterranean development. Who better than Morocco who has been to a degree the focus of much of Tunisia and Algerian insanities and has had to fight hard to have its triangle recognized as a player to underline the importance of regional exchange and positive relations. Geographically perched as a sentinel surveying entry to the European continent, Morocco has been crossed down the centuries by short-static bursts of immigration when exchange has illuminated a population in search of the place and source of its cultural origins. The only large ripples have been waves of emigration to resist foreign occupation in France and subsequently Europe: millennia of edification, rehabilitation, and exploitation until the Atlantic port seems to burst in an overflow of lorries lining up for duty at the frontier. These remain memory islands amidst an almost hermetic seal where neighbors cross with difficulty, if only to deposit new junk in the reach of the golden sand at the foot of the Spanish coast. The last crude of eyelids remain half-open to catch at a distance the Sweden of the South. But there comes a time when physical proximity demands the perspective that allothetic comparison provides. The magnetic pull of a shared land, a common space, a collective background shared during the long passage of the days slips into new demands heading towards affirmative symmetry. The South must move closer and the fraternal embrace and positive partnership return, recasting the dynamics of the relationship becoming mutually beneficial, mutually justified and – constructing a new polity.

15.2. Global Connections

One aim of Moroccan diplomacy is to promote a Mediterranean policy and strategy among European Union member countries, the USA, and other Mediterranean peoples. In fact, Morocco has been noted as one of the first countries to recognize the independence of the USA in 1777. Other countries in the African and Arab world recognize Rabat as an indirect diplomatic center representing these peoples for Europe and the USA.

The great diversity of Moroccan expatriates’ groups is a result of the link between migration and Colonialism. The migration is both an act of resistance to the constraints generated by Colonialism and the opening of a new horizon for Morocco and the Moroccans. This privileged relationship leaves its consequence and blessings in both senses. The external mobility that Colonialism generated is a consequence of Colonialism. The activity of Moroccan employees is a means of ensuring familial viability and supporting the resistance movement designated to put an end to Colonialism. Today, Moroccans are working to pay for the schools of the Moroccan children. Besides, the children of the expatriates are becoming the financial engines for socioeconomic development in Morocco. In fact, this provides enormous financial support for the Moroccan secret economy. Morocco should demand and require the repatriation of financial aid budgets to repay for these previous errors which were not generated by internal capacities.

The move to liberalization has given impetus to exchanges and projects of direct investment. The duality of the huge Moroccan desert area maintains immigration to Europe and the USA as the only exit through the metropolises. This emigration returns with material and financial means which make it possible to repair some consequences or exchange balances between Morocco and the USA. Morocco has long been traditionally aware of the USA’s influence, as an exotic Oriental power designer of a different culture, on its heritage economy, its economy, and in some sense its history